Gibran Informs Prabowo of His Intention to Resign: What Is the Mechanism for the Resignation of the Vice President?

Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka conveyed his intention to resign from office to President Prabowo Subianto on Tuesday, 10 November 2026. Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi confirmed this in a statement to members of the media at the Presidential Palace Complex. According to Prasetyo, Gibran conveyed his intention during a meeting with Prabowo that lasted approximately two and a half hours.

In a separate statement made on the same day, Gibran stated that Prabowo had provided several suggestions regarding the steps he could take. Nevertheless, the statement concerning his intention to resign does not, in itself, bring Gibran's term of office as Vice President to an end.

Should the resignation actually proceed, a constitutional mechanism must be followed to fill the resulting vacancy. What, then, are the rules governing the resignation of the Vice President and the process for electing a successor?

Resignation of the Vice President under the 1945 Constitution

The 1945 Constitution (UUD 1945) provides for the possibility of a vacancy in the office of the President or Vice President during their respective terms of office. The relevant provisions are set out in Article 8 of the 1945 Constitution.

Article 8 paragraph (2) of the 1945 Constitution stipulates that, in the event of a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the People's Consultative Assembly (Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat or MPR) shall convene a session within no later than 60 days to elect a Vice President from among two candidates nominated by the President.

This provision serves as the constitutional basis for filling the office of the Vice President where the incumbent leaves office before the expiry of their term, including by reason of resignation. Accordingly, the resignation of the Vice President does not automatically entitle the President to appoint a successor directly. The vacancy must still be filled through an election by the MPR.

Unlike removal from office through the impeachment mechanism, which involves the House of Representatives (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat or DPR) and the Constitutional Court (Mahkamah Konstitusi or MK), a resignation resulting in a vacancy in the office is followed by the election of a successor Vice President in accordance with Article 8 paragraph (2) of the 1945 Constitution.

What Is the Process for Electing a Successor Vice President?

The mechanism for filling the vacancy is further regulated under Articles 46 through 49 of Law Number 17 of 2014 concerning the People's Consultative Assembly, the House of Representatives, the Regional Representative Council, and the Regional People's Representative Councils (Law No. 17/2014). Pursuant to these provisions, several stages must be undertaken following the occurrence of a vacancy in the office of the Vice President.

First, the President nominates two candidates for Vice President to the leadership of the MPR. The nomination must be accompanied by the required documents for each candidate and submitted no later than 14 days before the MPR plenary session is convened.

Second, the MPR convenes a plenary session no later than 60 days after the vacancy occurs. During the session, both candidates are required to declare their willingness to stand for nomination before the election process takes place.

Third, the MPR elects one of the two candidates nominated by the President. The candidate who obtains the highest number of votes is designated as Vice President. If both candidates receive an equal number of votes, the election shall be held once again. If the result remains tied, the President is authorized to select one of the two candidates.

Following their election, the successor Vice President is inaugurated at an MPR plenary session by taking the oath or making the pledge of office. If the MPR is unable to convene a session, the oath or pledge of office shall be administered before a DPR plenary meeting. If the DPR is also unable to convene a meeting, the oath or pledge of office shall be administered before the leadership of the MPR in the presence of the leadership of the Supreme Court.

All of these stages are regulated under Articles 46, 47, and 49 of Law No. 17/2014. Accordingly, the authority to nominate candidates rests with the President, while the authority to elect the successor Vice President rests with the MPR.

Closing

As of 11 November 2026, Gibran has only conveyed his intention to resign to the President. No official announcement has been made confirming that his resignation has taken effect and resulted in a vacancy in the office. The mechanism for electing a successor Vice President, as stipulated in Article 8 paragraph (2) of the 1945 Constitution, will only become applicable if the resignation actually takes effect.